TOPIC:

I had a small project on the Brother Nature, a bit more than routine maintenance.

Luckily, I have a younger brother, long on optimism and enthusiasm. Swapped out the engine coupler! It had thousands of hours on it and I slipped it a bit on a floating weed patch up in Pere Marquette Lake.

looks like a wee bit of fun Mike!

Being able to do it at home has to feel pretty rewarding. Looks like more than I would be comfortable taking on.

MAKE SURE YOU PROPERLY CHECK AND ADJUST YOUR ALIGNMENT OR NEW COUPLER MAY NOT LAST LONG COUPLERS DON'T NORMALLY WEAR OUT THEY GO BAD FROM A ROOT CAUSE OFTEN SAGGING MOTOR MOUNTS OR A SOFT TRANSOM THAT THROWS OFF THE ALIGNMENT

Yep! I have an alignment tool. This isn't the bad motor mount scenario, it's the weeds making the rubber "clutch" for lack of a better word, slip on the coupler.

Good advice. The splines look good in old one. Didn't bother miking them since it's being replaced but visually, not bad.

Thanks to my brother, Alan and two nephews Caleb and Sam, the motor is back in place. I'm so lucky to have three such energetic and talented family members to give me a hand. We hooked it up to the water hose and once I remembered to switch on the gas shut-off the motor fired right up and ran with no sparks or leaky hoses. Mission impossible - possible. Time to clean up all the greasy handprints and winterize. Then it's time to THINK SPRING

Congrats on a successful repair. Motor looks very clean too, good luck come spring!